BRADENTON, Fla. -- "Thank you."
Those were the only two words spoken by Gerrit Cole to Edinson Volquez on that late September night in the visiting clubhouse at Atlanta's Turner Field. Champagne sprayed over both. The bass of the big speakers boomed. Some players roared. Others wept. Still others chose to stand off to the side and soak it in. Literally, to be sure.
But these two had a moment all their own. Cole's stung, squinting eyes suddenly widened as he put his hands about either side of Volquez's face, and that expression of gratitude was offered.
I was near enough to witness, wise enough not to ask until a lot later.
"Edinson carried me when I went on the disabled list, picked up my innings, him more than anyone else," Cole would explain back at his stall. "I'll never forget it."
I brought it up again this week at McKechnie Field. Asked what, if anything, that might still mean now that he's embarking on his third season in the majors, one in which pundits and publications everywhere are predicting will bring a breakout, possibly toward greatness.
"What it means," Cole replied pointedly, "is I don't want anyone picking up my innings this year."
That's it?
"That's it."
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